1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a system and method for context-specific instant messaging. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for invoking a message session based upon the location of a user action that corresponds to a particular object type.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communication and collaboration have quickly become key elements of enterprise software. One feature that exists in enterprise software packages is the ability for a user to conduct a “chat” session with other online users (e.g., instant messaging).
Enterprise software typically invokes a chat session in a generic context. Meaning, a user selects a recipient, and the enterprise software invokes a chat session between the user and the recipient without regard for the user's purpose for communicating with the recipient. However, users do not typically enter into chat sessions with other users for leisurely conversation. Instead, a user is prompted or triggered by the presence of an individual's name in a specific context. For example, a user may be reviewing a document that was written by an individual and, in this example, the user may wish to receive more information from the individual regarding the particular document. A challenge found is that when a user initiates a generic chat session, the user must include the purpose and the context of the chat session.
Another challenge found is that when a recipient receives a message, the recipient typically spends time trying to identify the context of the message. For example, if a recipient receives a message that states “What time is our meeting?” and the recipient has many meetings scheduled, the recipient may spend time researching multiple calendar entries before identifying the meeting that corresponds to the message.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method for users to efficiently communicate based upon the context of a user's environment.